GradCert Sustainable Agriculture & Rural Development

Program Overview

The Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Development program at UCD prepares graduates for leadership roles in agriculture and rural development, focusing on sustainable practices and community-based approaches. Students develop analytical, communication, and entrepreneurial skills through group projects, presentations, and field trips. Upon completion, graduates are equipped for careers in government, development agencies, and international organizations.

Program Outline

Degree Overview:

This Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Development (SARD) programme at UCD responds to contemporary and future transformations in agriculture and rural development. The programme takes a place-based approach to rural change and rural futures, and addresses how agriculture can contribute to sustainable development. It examines how farming and rural areas are changing, and how communities and government can address future challenges and opportunities. These issues are relevant in Ireland and internationally, in the Global South and Global North. This programme prepares graduates for roles of leadership, advocacy and influence in local, national and international development settings. This is achieved by strengthening capabilities in the relevant analytical, communications and entrepreneurship skills, underpinned by the provision of an enhanced understanding of the theory, policy and practice of rural development. The learning environment fosters individual and group-based activities, which develop students’ skills of inquiry, critical thinking, self-directed and collaborative learning. A variety of teaching and learning approaches are used including group project work, student presentations, individual assignments, field trips and case study work. Graduates are awarded a 30-credit Graduate Certificate, NFQ Level 9. The modules in this course comprise part of a more extensive graduate programme in Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Development. Students who complete the Graduate Certificate course can build on this course in future years to obtain the Graduate Diploma or a Masters Degree in Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Development.

Teaching:

The learning environment fosters individual and group-based activities, which develop students’ skills of inquiry, critical thinking, self-directed and collaborative learning. A variety of teaching and learning approaches are used including group project work, student presentations, individual assignments, field trips and case study work.

Careers:

Graduates from this programme will be equipped with the required skills and knowledge base to develop careers in the broad arena of sustainable agriculture and rural development in Ireland or Internationally in both the public and private sector. Graduates typically find employment in government, agricultural and rural development agencies, local development agencies, NGOs involved in rural development, as well as donor agencies and international development organisations. Graduate Roles

• Development Managers
• Advisors
• Consultants
• Public servants
• Researchers

Other:

The Graduate Certificate in Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Development offers an oppurtunity for students to equip themselves with some the requisite skills and knowledge base to develop careers in the broad arena of sustainable agriculture and rural development. The goal of the programmes is to prepare graduates for roles in local, national and overseas development settings. This is achieved by strengthening their capabilities in the relevant analytical, communications and entrepreneurship skills, underpinned by the provision of an enhanced understanding of the theory, policy and practice of rural development. The learning environment fosters individual and group-based activities, which develop students’ skills of inquiry, critical thinking, self-directed and collaborative learning. A variety of teaching and learning approaches are used including group project work, student presentations, individual assignments, field trips and case study work.

Programme Outcomes:

• Demonstrate enhanced problem-solving skills for application to issues in agriculture and rural development and the ability to formulate/evaluate potential solutions
• Plan and implement strategic communications campaigns in Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Development (SARD) settings
• Understand and interpret strategies applied in achieving the objectives of SARD in Irish, EU and developing country contexts
• Understand the nature and practice of rural diversification
• Understand the context in which sustainable agriculture and rural development related policies are devised
• Understand the key principles and practices that make agriculture sustainable

EU fee per year - € 3950 nonEU fee per year - € 9700 Fees are subject to change